by EuroNews
It’s published
•update
The Hungarian chief was questioned by police on Friday about accusations that he helped organize this year’s LGBTQ+ PRIDE March, which the government tried to ban.
Despite Prime Minister Victor Orban’s right-wing government previously passed legislation banning such events, organizers said the Pride march in Budapest on June 28th was the biggest event in the country’s history.
Liberal Budapest mayor Gelgary Kalaksony arrived at the Hungarian National Bureau of Investigation on Friday morning, where around 200 supporters gathered.
Before entering investigators’ headquarters under police escorts, he told supporters that freedom in Hungarian society was at stake.
“A month ago, at Budapest Pride, many of us told the whole world that we cannot ban freedom or love in Budapest,” Kalaksony said. “And if it’s not banned, it won’t be punished.”
Orbán’s ruling in March The Fidesz Party passed a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ law that banned Pride Events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people participating in the festival.
Despite the threat of heavy fines, participants proceeded with the June event under the public responsibilities of the Orban government. Organizers said about 300,000 people attended.
The government’s move to ban pride was the latest action targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
Orbán’s party has passed other laws, including the 2021 Act banning all content depicting homosexuality among minors under the age of 18.
Rights groups and European politicians accusing sexual minorities of being oppressive, comparing them to similar restrictions in Russia.
Orban and his party argued that Pride, an event that means celebrating the struggle for LGBTQ+ visibility and equal rights, is a violation of the child’s rights to moral and spiritual development.
A recent constitutional amendment declared that these rights took priority over other fundamental protections, including the right to gather peacefully.
Hungarian authorities claimed that the Pride march was illegal, but announced in July that they would not press the attendees for accusations, but told organizers that an investigation was underway.
One of the organizers, Budapest Pride President Victoria Radovany, who has not been summoned for police questioning, said at a rally outside investigators’ headquarters on Friday that Karaksony demonstrated “courage and very strong morality” to support the Pride march.
Radványi shows that Karácsony “being mayor doesn’t just mean arranging public transport and making sure the lights are on on the streets at night. That means that when the fundamental rights of citizens are attacked, they have to stand up and protect them.”
Karaksony appeared from investigators’ headquarters on Friday after being inside for more than an hour.
Speaking to reporters, he said he was formally accused of organizing the banned event but refused to answer police questions.
He said Orban’s government was weakened by failed efforts to ban pride.
“Up until now, they could only understand the language of power,” Karaksony said. “This power is now weakened and no longer affects people’s thoughts.”
Talking the crowd, Karaksony said the “fathomable” national elections expected next spring will be an opportunity to “return Hungary to the European path.”
“We want to live in a country where freedom is for the owners of power to do for all our fellow nations, rather than do what they want,” he said.
He added that so many people opposed the government to participate in pride.
Additional sources •AP
